Suikoden II: AU
by Optimistic-Pessimistz
Summary: First Suikoden Fic. Not good with summaries. But roughly it's an multichaptered AU on what if Riou was picked up by someone other than Viktor. Please R & R, thanks. Will up rating in future. [Revised]
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** Suikoden II: Alternate Universe

**Author:** Optimistic-Pessimistz a.k.a. SeraphKirin

**Pairing/s:** Not telling 'ya. Should be pretty evident soon though.

**Rating:** PG-13, but soon to rise...

**Status:** On-Going

**Genre:** Multi-Chaptered

**Chapter:** 1/?

**Email:**

**Disclaimers:** All disclaimers apply.

**Archive:** **ASK** – if you really want to take my fic.

**Author's Notes:** We're here to read a story, so let's move on.

Legend:

Hero:**Chance**.

Castle:**Ađalbjőrg Castle**.

Army:**Ađalsteinn Army**.

The names of the above are changed because, um, since Jowy and Chance are both of Highland, and roughly from what I know from what I've read so far (don't kill me people!), Highland usually roughly means the Scottish, the Irish and the like.

Don't kill me for my ignorance, please!

The names were Ancient Scandinavian from this web: is derived from the Old Norse elements _aðal_ "noble" and _björg_ "protection".

**Ađalsteinn** is derived from the Old Norse elements _aðal_ "noble" and _steinn_ "stone".

I've always wondered about plenty of "what ifs" while I played it myself. Here are some of the "what ifs" this story revolves around:

1. What if Chance was never saved from the river by Flik and Viktor but was instead, saved by a Highlander (mystery guest for now)? In any case, he shouldn't be a mystery guest for long, since there isn't anyone else in the story _like_ him.

2. What if Jowy was saved by Flik and Viktor instead?

I'll add more of the "what ifs" as I progress with the story. Chances are that I will not deviate from the original storyline as far as possible.

Oh yes, this story is written strictly from Chance's point of view, with sidelining of him because, well, we **do** need to know what is happening outside of Chance's little world, right?

The rating will go up as I progress, seeing that I have the intention of adding in non-consensual sex, yaoi and a lots of the like. Yaoi-haters, if you have read up 'til here and found the storyline... intriguing but the yaoi element disgusting, I suggest that you leave, with no offence intended.

In any case, happy reading.

* * *

**Chapter One: Awakening **

**

* * *

**

FLASHBACK

_"Chance... if we were ever separated by the currents, we'll come back here to be reunited, ok? Promise me this Chance..."_

_"I promise."_

END FLASHBACK

That was not the only last thing Chance recalled before jumping down the cliffs of Tenzen Pass.

Despite their tightly grasped hands, the currents down that river were too strong and separated the both of them after it knocked them both out, having had buffeted and bruised the both of them to its liking.

When he awoke, he was in a tent, and amazingly so, also on a bed loosely fortified by curtains of sheer lace.

The splitting migraine, coupled with the soreness that inevitably accompanied the many bruises he had suffered, did not help him to establish his surroundings either. But his moans caused by the former alerted a presence behind the semi-transparent curtains to the fact that he was awake.

"So... You're finally awake." This was said in a slightly nasal baritone.

Chance could just make out a faint outline of a man who had parted the curtains. The blurred images his pained eyes provided him with did not help place the identity of the man. Neither was the sound of his voice any help, for Chance clearly did not recognize it.

"... Who... are you?" Chance winced at the effort needed to push those few words pass his parched lips. Even so, the words came out hesitatingly, choked and slightly hoarse. Chance was already having difficulty forming his thoughts, what more his words? "And... where... am I?"

Chance's vision was clearing slowly, but it was still insufficient to help him identify the man. The dull throb at the back of his mind suddenly turned vicious, the stab of pain such that it made Chance cry out.

The man watched Chance clutch his head impassively. It was a moment or two before _he_ moved.

Chance heard _him_ move, but could not bring himself to look up, the pain overwhelming his ability to think or to instinctively put himself on the alert. There were sounds of a chest (or a box) opening, of _him_ sorting through the various contents, of the chest closing, and of _his_ footfalls approaching him

_He_ was surprisingly gentle, removing Chance's hands from his head and placing them by his side.

Pain slowly ebbing away, Chance forced himself to look up at the obviously taller man... and promptly wished he did not do so. The pain returned with a vengeance.

The man watched him bite back that inadvertent cry of pain. Chance did not want to show his weaknesses to another he did not know.

_Amusing..._ The man thought. _He is more like me than I thought._

But then the man reflected, weren't most Highland men born with that pride?

It was something that was innate, he supposed, watching the younger man – no - boy, squirm as he touched the sides of the boy's forehead.

"Stop moving. You'll only hurt yourself."

The only reply he got in return was the boy's slight frown as he attempted to place his voice.

He smirked. Unlikely. He would not reveal his identity until he wanted to (which was exactly as he planned it to be).

Not that he would be afraid of the boy placing his voice either. The boy had, after all, only seen his face just once and heard his voice just once. He doubted the boy would remember his face in passing, since they were preoccupied with confronting their commander at that point in time.

It was amusing, he mused. That he would be the one (albeit an indirect cause) to force them to jump off that cliff, and three hours later, to be the one to rescue the boy from the waters. Perhaps it might be fate. He frowned, dismissing the thought immediately.

He watched the boy resign himself to total darkness for now, watched himself (or his hands) administering a sleeping draught to the boy, grasping the boy's chin and forcing the small mouth to open and swallow the vile concoction.

The boy struggled briefly, realized that it was futile to resist him, and surrendered to him, opening his mouth to drink whatever he was feeding him.

"Th... Thank you." The boy gasped out.

He brushed it off. There was no particular need to acknowledge the boy.

"I... apologize... but why do my eyes hurt so much? I... I can barely even open them to see."

"Close your eyes. You'll do better to close them. They were bruised – badly - when you fell – jumped – off that pass."

He heard a small intake of breath behind him.

"So... you saved me...?"

He rolled his eyes and smirked. "Hmph."

That did not even deserve a reply.

He turned around and watched the boy on his bed.

The boy was trembling, as little streaks of pain ran up and down his body.

He appeared to be gathering his breath for another question. "There... There was another boy with me. Jowy. Jowy Atreides. He was my boyhood friend. He jumped off that Pass with me and-"

"I did not find any signs of another where I found you."

The boy stiffened and turned whiter than he already was.

_Interesting color, considering that he already lost more blood than I have ever seen any one person bled, and survived._ The man mused.

"If I found you and you lived, the other boy may live as well." The man was decidedly nonchalant; his tone said that he could not care less.

But the words calmed the boy down.

"You think so?" He relaxed and turned to face where (he thought) the man was standing behind the curtain.

_Naïve..._ The man thought, amused by the open hope he witnessed on the boy's face. _He thinks that the other boy will live. Amusing, how a few words (well-meant or not) can do to someone like him._

He watched the boy fidget.

"Thank you... for saving me."

He smirked. The boy actually thought that his intentions were pure. How delightful... Well, it was time enough to divest him of his little delusions.

He walked over to the bed, parted the curtains and sat down right beside the boy.

The boy shifted slightly, realizing that his savior had approached him.

He placed his palms on both sides of the boy's head and leant down, placing their faces at such close proximity with each other that he could bite the boy's nose off without any fear of a struggle.

"Um... sir...?" The boy shifted edgily; he could feel a change in the atmosphere surrounding him but could not understand what brought it about.

"Stupid child... You really think to trust me, don't you?" He murmured.

The boy frowned, attempted to open his eyes, found that his eyes still hurt to much and opted for grimacing in pain instead.

The man however, took no notice of his pain.

"What is your name...?" He murmured into the boy's ear, every word a hot puff of breath.

The boy stiffened. "Ch... Chance."

"Chance..." He spoke the name as if he were caressing it.

Chance's breathing quickened.

The man's tongue flicked out and licked the shell of his ear.

Chance gave an involuntary cry and tried his best to move away from him. He was still too weak, and his feeble attempts to move were easily overcome by the larger and stronger male.

"Silly boy..." The man moved downwards to his neck and nipped him lightly.

He struggled once more, stronger, only to weaken when the man started... licking and sucking the wound that he created.

Chance felt faint, feeling his strength fleeing from his body as the effects of the draught took over.

As he slipped into a dreamless sleep, he distinctly heard a voice saying...

"Mine."

It was a command.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Well, I need you to tell me if this is good or not. Review please. No reviews No updates.

Guesses are welcome on who the guy is (although I feel it is pretty obvious).


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** Suikoden II: Alternate Universe

**Author:** Optimistic-Pessimistz a.k.a. SeraphKirin

**Pairing/s:** Not telling 'ya. Should be pretty evident soon though.

**Rating:** PG-13, but soon to rise...

**Status:** On-Going

**Genre:** Multi-Chaptered

**Chapter:** 2/?

**Email:**

**Disclaimers:** All relevant disclaimers apply.

**Archive:** **ASK** – if you really want to take my fic.

**Author's Notes:** We're here to read a story, so let's move on.

Legend:

Hero: **Chance**.

Castle: **Ađalbjőrg Castle**.

Army: **Ađalsteinn Army**.

Thanks people for reviewing this pathetic fic of mine. My apologies to all those who waited so long for me to update this fic of mine!

**Ađalbjőrg** is derived from the Old Norse elements _aðal_ "noble" and _björg_ "protection".

**Ađalsteinn** is derived from the Old Norse elements _aðal_ "noble" and _steinn_ "stone".

Ok, so I thought things out and felt it would be better if Jowy got picked up by Luca as well (evil me).

So here's Jowy-boy, dumped... somewhere and separated from Chance.

* * *

**Chapter Two: In The Hands Of The Enemy**

**

* * *

**

_+ Jowy, Somewhere +_

_Where am I?_

He could hear the sounds of water dripping off the ceiling and down unto the floor. He could hear people, moans and sounds of quiet mumbling.

His arm ached when he tried to move it. That was a good sign. It meant he was still alive and kicking (though the kicking part may have to wait until he felt **a lot** better).

Everywhere hurt, come to think of it.

He was lying down, wasn't he?

Yes, his back was touching ground.

Yep, his fingers were touching cold, mucky (and yucky) wood.

Wood? He frowned. Confirming the material through touch once more, he tried opening his eyes.

_Damned sunlight_. Oh well, at least it confirmed that his eyes still worked. Even though it hurt quite badly now.

Ok, so his body was fine, his eyes were fine, he had gotten picked up somehow by someone, but that's another story to tell (or ponder about) another time.

What else was he missing?

_Chance._

He opened his eyes. And immediately closed them again, attacked by the glare of the sun. He tried to get up, his body protesting his every move, every nerve screaming in pain.

_Chance. _

He slowly opened his eyes, getting them used to the light. He was in a wooden cage, one usually used for prisoners and the like.

The good thing was, no one was around him except for a few Highland guards far away from him.

The bad thing was, he had been rescued by the very people he wanted to escape from. Not to mention that for some strange reason, his wounds had been taken care of.

And the very bad thing was, out of all the other cages in his vicinity, he could not find a single one with Chance in it.

Or anyone remotely resembling Chance.

There was only one thing to say about this situation.

_Oh damn._

One of the soldiers approached him then. "You're finally awake."

Jowy tried his voice and was surprised how hoarse he sounded. "Where am I?"

"This is the Highland Camp at Tenzen Pass. After you two jumped off, the Prince ordered us to go downriver and fish the both of you out. Load of trouble you kids caused us." The soldier spat onto the ground.

"Where is Chance?" Jowy gripped the bars.

"The other boy? He's here… somewhere." The soldier grinned maliciously.

Jowy panicked. "Where is he?!"

"Relax, kid. You'll get to see him soon... Or what's left of him."

Jowy slammed his arms against the bars, uncaring of the pain it caused him. "What do you mean? Where's Chance?"

"Shut up brat! I said you'll see him soon!" The soldier kicked the cage savagely and left, muttering curses under his breath.

Jowy watched him leave, helpless, as he slid to the floor of his small prison. _Please be okay...

* * *

+ Luca's Tent, Tenzen Pass + _

Moments after he watched the boy succumb to the sleeping draught, Luca was alerted that the other boy, the one he watched this one jump off the cliff with, had awoken.

+ Luca's Tent, Tenzen Pass + Luca's Tent, Tenzen Pass + 

Should he, or should he not?

Chance, the one who caught his eye, was alive and would survive his wounds.

Logically, he did not need the other boy. Alive anyway.

So why had he ordered the both of them to be brought out of the water when he could have slain the other while he was unconscious?

It was a whim perhaps, to know why the two boys had chosen death together without even thinking twice.

He wondered, really.

That night when they attacked and slaughtered that brigade, he'd watched the foolish boy and his equally foolish friend walk up and ask their errant Captain Rowd why he'd sent the brigade to their deaths.

Surviving against the assault of trained and experienced soldiers was quite the feat, considering their age and obvious inexperience in the ways of war.

After sending more soldiers after them, Rowd, that incompetent idiot, still managed to fail him by allowing the kids to escape. The fool still imagined that after his little slip, he would still be rewarded for his willingness to sacrifice his brigade.

Heh, he would deal with him... later though.

The more important thing was the other boy now. Chance had called him "Jowy", a "boyhood friend".

Perhaps it would wiser to eliminate him...?

Yes, especially since he can do it so quickly and without the boy's knowledge.

No, because he had other plans for the boy – both boys.

The wisest way might be to isolate the boy in his tent while keeping the other boy away from him. That might even lure Chance to trust him even more.

He smirked at the thought. _Oh... little boy, you have absolutely no idea what I want to do to you..._

One last look at the boy in his bed - _his_ - and he turned to go out of the tent to face the other boy, Jowy Atreides.

* * *

_+ Jowy, Locked Up Somewhere +_

Sitting against the bars of the cage was tiresome.

Having nothing to do and hardly any space to do anything was even more uninspiring.

The only thing he could do safely was to worry over Chance and where he was now. And it was wearing him down.

_I hope he isn't caught by that mad man..._

Sounds of some one approaching him alerted him to the fact that he was no longer alone.

"You're awake."

_Duh._ Joy resisted the urge to roll his eyes and turned towards the voice.

_Him._ Shock raced through him, then the beginnings of fear.

Luca Blight, Prince of Highland, stood before him, smirking. "Good morning. How are the accommodations?"

_Spiffy_. He was tempted to reply, but curbed that retort. "Where is Chance?"

"Chance?" The Prince raised an aristocratic eyebrow at that.

"The other boy, my friend, the one who jumped down the Pass with me. Where is he?"

Luca approached the cage slowly. "You seem to be full of questions, considering that you are no more than a prisoner now."

"And you seem to be full of it, considering that you broke the peace treaty and killed boys who have sworn with their lives to protect our country!" Jowy's eyes flashed.

The Prince nodded at one of the guards. "Open the door."

"Sire, do you think it wise to -" Said guard ventured uneasily.

Luca cut him off. "I said, open the door."

"Yes sire, as you wish."

Jowy watched as the Prince entered the cell, wanting nothing more than to run away, if not for the soldiers outside the cell. _And Chance._ He added mentally and stiffened as Luca came closer.

Luca reached out and grabbed hold of Jowy's shirt. "Sacrifices are necessary."

"To exacerbate a war your people want over? I don't think so." Jowy stood his ground, despite the fact he wanted nothing more than to sink to the ground.

"You know nothing of war."

"I know enough that this is madness."

Luca laughed.

Jowy flinched.

The soldiers outside shifted uneasily.

"You have courage, I give you that, boy." Luca's eyes burned into those of Jowy's.

"However," he continued, "I still need to show you your place though."

He threw Jowy back against the bars of the cage. Jowy winced as his bruises came into hard contact with the bars.

"Don't worry." He smirked as he left the cell. "I won't kill you... yet."

"Wait! You haven't answered my question! Chance! Where is he?" Jowy shouted.

Luca did not deign to reply, and Jowy could only watch as he left, leaving him alone with the guards. He kicked at the confines of his prison in frustration, and slumped to the ground on his knees.

_Chance...

* * *

+ Night, Highland Camp, Tenzen Pass + _

It had been a hard day of preparations, Luca reflected, as he exited the Meeting tent after more tentative plans were made regarding the mercenary fort east of Muse. There were rumors that the fort was set up by several generals who had participated in the Toran Liberation War during the reign of the Scarlet Moon Empire.

+ Night, Highland Camp, Tenzen Pass + Night, Highland Camp, Tenzen Pass + 

While taking the fort by force would be easy with current Highland numbers, Luca wanted to conserve that for the taking of Muse. That alone would not be easy to accomplish, given that reinforcements from Two River, Greenhill and Matilda could reach Muse before they could take the city down.

No matter. Klaus would simply have to come up with a halfway decent strategy for the fort within four days. While both the father and son were... irksome at best, he needed them to achieve the original objective of his plan.

For the moment, his army would have to rest, train and build up their supplies for the coming battle. Those tasks he entrusted to Culgan, Seed and Solon Jhee. Of course, he would have to take care of his White Wolf regiment by himself, but it would provide him with temporary release for his bloodlust.

Moving on, he wondered if the boy – _Chance_, he mentally corrected himself – had woken up. The healers had warned him before that the sleeping draughts in his possession had the potency to knock out a bear for a full day and it was these he turned to in the past when the nights haunted him with memories of the past. It had been a while since he last used them, and he was glad to have them on hand when Chance woke up in pain.

Then there was the issue of the _other_ boy. Luca smirked, reliving the brief conversation with the other boy. It had been a while since anyone had tried to stand up to him. Certainly, it would be detrimental to let either boy know of the whereabouts of the other.

No, he decided. It would be for the best if he set a small regiment aside for the prisoners and allow them to go first before he followed with his own. _And of course, Chance._

He was 20 steps away from entering his private tent when Rowd chose that moment to step in front of him as he moved to enter his tent. "My Lord, if I may -"

"No, you may not." Luca had the satisfaction of watching Rowd's mouth hang open and stare at him for a moment before he remembered where he was and lowered his head to the ground.

Rowd took a deep breath before starting again. "The boys no longer possess any value to your grand scheme, my Lord, and they have the potential to do more harm than good. They are witnesses to the massacre of the Brigade and it is not wise to let them run about free when –"

"I know what will happen if they go free." Luca's eyes bore into the back of Rowd's head and the man stiffened. "And I have no intention of letting either of them escape so easily."

Rowd brought his eyes up determinedly. "Then it would be wise to eliminate them now when –"

Luca stepped closer to Rowd. "Are you trying to teach _me_ what I should do?"

Rowd flinched and looked down. "... No, my Lord."

Luca sneered. "Begone. I have no need of you, _General_." He watched Rowd bow down again before scampering off to his own quarters.

"... However inept Rowd may be, he does have a point, my Lord." A voice came out of the shadows where the trees stood near the tent.

"Kiba." Luca turned to face the General of the 3rd Army.

"Forgive my frankness, my Lord, but I do not understand your... fascination with the boy we rescued from the waters either." A younger voice hazarded, despite knowing the consequences of going against the Prince's wishes.

"What I want to do with both of them concerns neither one of you!" Luca snarled, annoyed at being stopped from entering his tent. "You would do better to spend more time on your strategies. Do remember that our next assault is a few days away and your plans have yet to be concrete."

Klaus lowered his eyes. "... I understand, my Lord."

Scowling, Luca watched both father and son walk away to their quarters before finally entering his own quarters in a decided huff.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Any ideas on how I should continue this? Review please. No reviews, seriously no updates either.


End file.
